Canned, but make it fancy

The Lenten season traditionally calls for practicing Catholics to  make sacrifices, most famously to abstain from meat. But with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, certain sacrifices, such as staying at home, are more of a requirement for everybody than a choice. But not everything has to be doom-and-gloom, and we all need the extra cheering-up, and some people get cheered up with the idea of good food. For this Holy Week, BusinessWorld gathered fish-based recipes from Martha Stewart herself (via her website, marthastewart.com) and The Maya Kitchen, using what we presume are already in your pantry: canned tuna and sardines.

The following recipes are from The Maya Kitchen.

GARLIC PASTA WITH SUNDRIED TOMATOES AND SPANISH SARDINES

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup garlic
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 can Spanish sardines small can
• 100 grams sundried tomato, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 piece chicken cube
• 500 grams cooked pasta spaghetti
• Garnish:
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon chopped parsley

Directions:

Sauté garlic in olive oil. Add half of the Spanish sardines together with its oil.

Add sundried tomato, season with salt, pepper and chicken cubes.

Add cooked pasta and toss it well, until pasta is coated with oil and garlic.

Serve in a pasta plate and place the remaining Spanish sardines on top of the pasta and garnish with parmesan cheese, and parsley.

Yield: 4 to 5 servings

SALAD NIÇOISE

Ingredients:

• 2 pieces peeled tomatoes
• 1 piece spring onion, thinly chopped
• 1/2 piece red bell pepper
• 1/2 piece green bell pepper
• 5 pieces small red radish, thinly sliced
• 10 pieces green French beans
• 5 pieces black pitted olives, sliced
• 1 piece hard- boiled egg, cut into quarters
• 1 espresso cup of olive oil
• 1/2 espresso cup of red wine vinegar
• half a can of canned tuna in water or five marinated anchovy fillets 
• salt and pepper.

Directions:

Remove the edges of your French beans. Steam beans in a bamboo basket or a strainer over a pot of boiling water for about 10 minutes (or until they are al dente). Set aside to cool.

Take the rest of your vegetables and rinse under clear water. Remove any wilted parts and core and seed the bell peppers.

Dice your bell peppers, peel and slice your tomatoes, slice the egg into four quarters and cut your green beans into 1.5 inch lengths.

Drain the tuna or the anchovies.

In a large bowl, place two pinches of salt and a pinch of black pepper. Add the sliced spring onions, green beans, bell peppers, radish and tomatoes. Then add your drained anchovies or drained tuna and top with the sliced olives.

Pour the olive oil and the red wine vinegar. Cover  salad with cling film, and leave in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Just before serving, toss well and garnish with hard-boiled egg slices.

The following recipes are from marthastewart.com.

MARTHA’S FAVORITE TUNA SALAD SANDWICH

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces good-quality tuna, packed in oil, drained
• 2 stalks celery, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 1 apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 8 slices best-quality sourdough

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine tuna, celery, apple, mayonnaise, basil, and lemon juice; mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

On a work surface, divide tuna salad among four slices of bread; top with remaining four slices of bread. Serve.

TUNA MACARONI SALAD

Ingredients:

• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 8 ounces elbow macaroni pasta
• 1/2 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 ribs celery, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 cup), plus 1/4 cup celery heart leaves
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded if desired, and finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 (5-ounce) can solid tuna in water, drained and flaked
• 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons dill relish
• 1 teaspoon grainy mustard

Directions:

In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta until al dente, seven to eight minutes. Drain, then transfer to a large bowl to cool slightly.

While pasta cools, soak onion in cold water. Drain, then stir into pasta along with celery, celery leaves, jalapeno and tuna. Whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk, lemon juice, relish and mustard. Toss with pasta mixture and season to taste. Refrigerate until cold, at least 30 minutes and up to eight hours.

TUNA CAKES

Ingredients:

• 3 cans (six ounces each) tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped, plus sprigs for garnish
• 1/3 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise  
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 jalapeno (ribs and seeds removed), finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup prepared salsa

Directions:

In a large bowl, stir together tuna, egg, cilantro, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and jalapeno. Mix gently until ingredients just hold together.

Using a packed 1/3-cup measure of tuna mixture per patty, shape into eight cakes.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium. Working in batches if necessary, cook cakes until golden brown and crisp on the outside, about two minutes per side. Serve hot, accompanied by salsa, and garnish with cilantro sprigs.

MEDITERRANEAN TUNA-NOODLE CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for baking dishes  
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 pound wide egg noodles
• 2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour  
• 5 cups whole milk
• 4 cans (6 ounces each) tuna in olive oil, drained
• 1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and thickly sliced
• 5 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil two eight-inch square (or other shallow two-quart) baking dishes. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles until two minutes short of al dente; drain, and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, in a five-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add bell peppers; season with salt and pepper. Cook until crisp-tender, four to six minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, for one minute. Gradually add milk, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a simmer.

Remove from heat; add mixture to noodles in pot, along with tuna, artichoke hearts, and scallions. Season with salt and pepper, and toss. Divide between prepared baking dishes, and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until golden and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

EASY TUNA RICE BOWL

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 tin (5 ounces) tuna
• 1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and halved
• 1 mini cucumber, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame, blanched in boiling water for two minutes, drained, and cooled
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced nori
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce, preferably low-sodium
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil  
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Place rice in the bottom of a resealable container. Top with tuna, egg, cucumber, edamame, sesame seeds, and nori. For the dressing, whisk together soy sauce, lime juice, and oil. Season with pepper. Keep refrigerated until 30 minutes before serving.